Copyediting

Copyediting clarifies writing and increases its impact on the reader, and therefore amplifies your message.

All writing is improved by copyediting, from blog posts through book manuscripts by widely published authors. Almost everything you’ve read and been impressed by the writing has been through the hands of a copyeditor. I work with scholarly writing and can help your prose, and your argument, make that same impression upon your readers.

I edit across the qualitative social sciences and humanities. I particularly enjoy working with anthropology, foodways, gender and ethnic studies, media studies, communication studies, history, international relations, popular culture, and LIS.

I edit articles and books, grant reports, journals, and white papers. I occasionally edit dissertations (with advisor approval). I am expert in Chicago and APA, but can work with any style guide your publisher requires.

I edit with a light hand, fixing the written elements that prevent your voice from coming through. I will ensure your manuscript, and your citations, adhere to the desired style guide (such as APA or Chicago) and are grammatically correct. If any awkward or unclear passages remain, these will be flagged, as will repeated and overused words and phrases. I will also verify URLs, and review tables, figures, and charts, and their references in your manuscript. I will verify consistent formatting across sections (such as headers, subheads, captions, and text boxes) and flag elements which might require permissions.  In addition to correcting grammar and applying language preferences as required by your style guide, I will smooth out inconsistencies and awkward transitions, and eliminate overused words or clichés. I will cross check your bibliography and citations, and alert you to any problems with those.

My rate is affected by any number of variables, but my standard rate is $0.04 per word.